Draft-gear.



R. E@ FRAME.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLIOATION FILED Nov@ 191s.

Patentd. Apr. 14, 1914.

R. E. FRAME.

DRAFT GEAR.

APPLIGATIQN FILED Nov. s, 191s.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

Application filed November 6, 1913. Serial. No. 799,479.

State of Indiana, have invented Certain new and useful Improvements 'inDraft-Gears, of which the following is a speciiication, and which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

rlhe invention relates to. draft gears for railway cars of the so-calledfriction type.

The object of the invention is to secure a high degree of eiliciency,and to provide for a progressiyje development of the frictionalresistance"'by bringing the elements into action successively. Theseobjects are attained by the construction illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gear partly insection; Fig.'2 is a transverse ver tical central section through thegear; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are plan sections of-'the gear showing it in diderentpositions.

The gear is illustrated as being applied to a railway car, there beingshown a pair of draft sills 10, 11, provided with draft lugs 12, 13, 14and i5 of any desired form. The gear inclosed within a yoke 16, hereshown as of the conventional type and as being attached to the butt ofthe coupler 17 by means of rivets, and there is present a supportingplate 18, bolted to the draft sills and upon which the yoke rides, and atieplate 19 uniting the draft sills above the gear. ,These parts do notappertain to the inveption, and take any form as des1ret.

The gear comprises a pair of front and' rear casings 20, 21, of boxform. The two.

casings are alike, and each is provided with a pair of shoulders 22, 23,24, 25, for engaging the draft lugs 12, 13, and 14, 15, respectively.The forward casing 20 bears against the b utt of the coupler 17, and therearwardcasing against the rear end of the yoke 1G. Housed within cachof the casings is a pair of springs 26, 27, and 28, 29, arranged oncwithin the dt-her, though, if desired, a single spring only may be usedwith each casing. These springs are seated against the inner ends of thecastings and react against followers 30, 31. Each of these fol lowershas a flat iace for engaging the springs, and a pair of inwardlyinclined wedging faces which coperate with triangular friction blocks32, 33, 34, respectively. Be-

yond the inner ends of the springs the walls of the casings flare, asshown at 36, 37, 38, 39, to form wedging surfaces for engaging the outerfaces of the triangular blocks.

Inter-posed between the forward triangular blocks 32, 33, and therearward triangular blocks 34, 35, there is a compressible abutmentcomprising a pair of laterally` movable .wedging elements, generallydesignated by the numerals 40, 41. The lastnamed elements are chambered,and there -is located between them a spring 42`which urges them apart.The side walls 43, 44, 45 and 46 of the members 40, 4l, are inclinedinwardly and toward the .ends of the gear, and frictionally engage thethird sides of the triangular blocks 32, 33, 34 and At the outer ends.of their inclined side walls the members 40, 41, are provided withshoulders l47, 48, and 49, 50, and intermediate of these shoulders theouter ends of the members extend "itwardl-y,providing `inclined faces51, 5,2, 58 and 54.

The inner ends of the side walls of the casings 20, 21, extend beyondthe inclined portions 36, 37, and 38, 39, a. short distance parallelwith the axis of the gear, as shown at 55, 56, and 57, 58,-theseparallel portions engaging, respectively, the shoulders 47 48, and 49,50. The extreme portions of the inner ends of the side walls of thecasings flare outwardly, a's shown at 59, 60, 61 and 62, these outwardlyflaring portions engaging the inclined portions 51, 52, 53 and 54 of themembers 40, 41, during the inalcompressive movement of the gear. Theouter surfaces of the walls of the cas 'ings "may be provided .withstrengthening 'ing their strength and providing seats for the spring 42.

When the gear is in release position, as shown in Fig. 3, the shoulders22, 23, and 24, 25.u of the casings are in engagement with the draftlugs 12, 13, and 14, 15. The parallel portions 55, 56, and 57, 58, ofthe walls of the casings are in engagement with the outer ends of theshoulders 47, 48, and 49, 50, of the members 40, 4l. As either of thecasings is advanced both slide upon these shoulders (the abutment beingmoved longitudinally toward the stationary casing. until the partsassumethe position of F ig. 4,tbe outwardly inclined portions 59, `60,

and 61, 62,- of theV inner ends of the side walls of the casiiigs cominginto contact, respectively, with the inclined portions 5l, 52, and 53,54, of the ends of the members 40, 41. Meantime the triangularwedge-blocks have been forced inwardly, crowding back the followers 30,3l. Further' advance of the casingI lcauses the outwardly inclinedportions of their walls 59, 60, and 6l, 62, to slide upon the inclinedportions 51, 52, and 53, 54, of the outer ends of the members 40, 4l,forcing these members inwardly and compressing the spring 42.

Initial friction is developed mainly between the triangular`wedge-blocks and -tlie inclined walls of ,the casings and the followers30, 3l, there being also some friction.

developed between the wedging blocks and the side walls of the members40, 4l. During-the linal movement of the'casings friction is developedbetween the inclined ends of both of the casings and the inclined endsof the members 'ltl, 4l, and between the side walls of these membe' sand the triangular blocks.

The action is the same in both pulling and boiling, and while but onecasing moves in either instance Ithe wedging action is identical at thetwo ends of the gear.

All of the springs cooperate in effecting the release and returning theparts to their normal pl ition, this release, however, being retardedbyv the fric-tional engagement of the various members, therebypreventing shocks.

I claim as my invention- 1.1 ln a draft gear, in combination, a pairofopposed casings, a pair of spring-separated laterally movable membershaving inclined outer ends, spring seated within the casings, andwcdging elements interposed between the springs and the laterallymovable members, the end portions of the walls of the casings beinginclined and engage'- able With the inclined ends of the latera ly`movable members.

2. In a draft gear` in combination, a pair of opposed casings, a pair ofspring-separated laterally movable members having inclined outer ends,springs seated within the casings, and wedging elements interposedlbetween the springs and the laterally movable members, the end portionsof the Walls of the casings'being inclined and engage able with theinclined ends of the laterally movable members but normally spaced aparttherefrom.

3. In a draft gear, in combination` a pair of casings having their sidowalls flaring, a laterally comprcssible abutment between the casings,springs seated within the ca'sings, a-

set of wedging elements interposed between each spring and the abutment,the outer ends of the abutment and of the side walls of the casingshaving cooperating inclined surfaces normally ont of engagement.

4of casings each havin wardly inclined, such inclined' portionsbe-l inginterru ted by portions parallel 'to'ithe fl, springsseated'm thecasings,

1l. In a draft gear, in combination, a air of casiiigs, a laterallycompressible a utment between the casings and comprising a pair ofchambered membrs 'whose outerv ends arewedgesha'ped and a spring urgingsuch members apart, springs Seated..within the casings, and a set offriction elements located between each of the last-named springs and theabutment, the ends of the side walls of the casings being outwardlyinclined and engageable with the wedgeshaped ends of the abutmentmembers.

5. In a draft gear, in combination, a central laterally compressibleabutment comprising a air of chambered membersthe ends of suc membershaving shoulders parallel to the line of draft and outwardl inclinedsurfaces intermediate of such oulders, a pair of casings having theirside walls provided with parallel portions engaging the shoulders of theabutment members and inclined portions engageable with the inclinedmembers, springs seated within the casings, and friction elementslocated between such springs and the abutment.

6. In a draft gear, in combinationa central laterally compressibleabutmenty comprising a pair of chambered members, the ends of suchmembers having shoulders parallel to the line of draft and outwardlyinclined surfaces intermediate of such shoulders, the side walls of suchmembers be inclined inwardly and toward the ends o the gear, a pair ofcasings having their side walls provided with parallel portions engagingthe shoulders of the abutment members and inclined portions engageablewith the inclinedl portions of the ends of such ksprings and theabutment.-

7. In a draft gear, 1n combination, a" pair line `of dra wedgingelements seated on the springs, trlangular blocks bearing` on the facesof the wedginfr elements and the inner portionsv of the inclined sideWalls of the casings, and a laterally coinpi'essible,- abutment havingin clined side `walls engaging the triangular blocks, the ends of theabutment having flat shoulders engaging the parallel portionsof the sidewalls of the v,casings and inclined faces intermediate of suchshoulders.

8., In a draft gear, in combination, a longitudinally movable casing, alaterally compressible abutment, normally engaged coperating bearingsurfaces parallel with the line of draft on the casing and abutment, andoutwardly inclined cooperating faces on said members coming intoengagement dur- .ing the final movement of the casing, vand setsofcushioningv elements each comprising springsand friction members, anda laten allyfcornpressible friction member interposed V.between the twosets of cushioning `elements and compressively engaged there an initialnon-compressive and a nal compressive engagement with the abutment, suchabutment comprising a pair of cham bered casings and a spring housedWithin and reacting between the easing;

l1. In a draft gear, in combination, a lon- `gitudinally movable casing,a laterally compressible'abutment, such abutment comp-rising a. pair ofchambered casings and a spring housed within and reacting between .thecasing, normally engagcd'coperating bearing surfaces-parallel with theline of draft on the casing and abutment, and outp wardly inclinedeoperating faces on said members coming into engagement during-thc finalmovement of thecasing, and cushioning elements within the casing andbearing against the abutment.

l2. In a' draft gearin combination, a longitudinally movable casinghaving daring side walls, two pairs of laterally movable frictionelements having .inclined 'surfaces engageable by the inclined walls ofthe casing successively, and means resisting' the inward movement of themembers of each pair of friction elements. r v

13. In a draft gear, in combination, a longitudinally movable easinghaving flaring side walls, two pairs of laterally movable frictionelements having `eorresi'iondinglyl inelined surfaces, the inclinedWalls of the casing being normally engaged with such sur faces of one ofthe pairs of frictionelement-s I and engaging such surfaces of the otherpair of friction'elements during the final movement of the casing, andmeans resisting the inward movement of the members of each pair of-friction elements.

14.` In a draft gear, in combination, alongitudinally movable casinghaving flaring.

side walls, two pairs of laterally movable friction elements havinginclined surfaces enga geableyby the inclinedwalls of the casingsuccessively, members of each pair of friction elements havingcontacting faces oblique to the axis of the gear, and means resistingthe inward movement of the members of each pair of friction elements. Y

15. In a draft gear, in combination, two longitudinally movable casingshaving their open ends facing and their side walls fiar ing, a pair ofinwardly movable friction elements housed within each casing and havin@inclined faces in constant engagement withJ the side walls ofthecasings, a third pair of inwardly movable friction elements inter`-p'osed between and engaging th'e 'first-mentioned pairs of frictionelements and having oppositely inclined surfaces engageable by theinclined walls of the casings only during the final compressive movementof the gear, and means for urgingall of t-he vfriction ele` mentsoutward.

16. In a draft gear, in combination, two longitudinally movable casingshaving their open ends facing and their side walls flaring, aipair ofinwardly movable friction elements housed within each casing and havinginclined faces in constant engagementwith the side walls of the.casings, a third pair of inwardly movablefriction elements. interlposed between and engaging the first-menof inwardly `movable frictionelements, and

a sprilw reacting between the'two members of the tliird pair of frictionelements.

ROBERT E. FRAME iVitnesses :1

(ino. I. Bocinas, Crianmzs PORTER.

